Device for fastening roof panels and the like

ABSTRACT

979,066. Sealing-washers. A. FISCHER. May 1, 1961 [June 21, 1960], No. 15741/61. Headings F2B and F2H. For maintaining a seal against the entry of moisture into a screwhole 1a, e.g. in a corrugated roofing sheet 1, a compression spring 5 is retained between the upper part 3c and lower part 3a of a sealing cap of synthetic resin. An extension 3i of the lower part 3a is inserted in the screwhole 1a and, after placing of the spring 5, the upper part 3c is pressed on so that its internal flange 3e snaps into a groove 3h on the lower part. A screw, Fig. 3 (not shown), is inserted through the spring and cap and screwed into the roof below the corrugated sheet and when tightened presses down the spring 5 and upper cap part 3c to the position shown. Should the screw become loose, the part 3c is moved up by the spring to maintain its seal with the screwhead.

- Jan. 31, 1967 A. FISCHER DEVICE FOR FASTENING ROOF PANELS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 5, 1963 INVENTOR.

AR'IUR FISCHER Z'aLuZ Gr/k United States atent fiice 3,15%,929 Patented Jan. 31, 1957 3,39%,929 DEVICE FOR FASTENING ROOF PANELS AND THE LIKE Artur Fischer, Tumlingen, Kreis Freude'nstadt, Germany Filed Dec. 5, HM, Ser. No. 328,317 iairns priority, application Germany, June 21, 1960, F 31,471; Dec. 18, 1952, F 38,587 9 Claims. (Ci. 52-30% This is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 109,111, filed May 10, 1961, now Patent No. 3,191,730.

The present invention relates to a device for fastening shingles and other forms of roof panels to a supporting structure, and more particularly to a device which is especially suited for fastening of corrugated roof panels to rafters, purlins, sheathing and other types of supporting structures.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a fastening device which is capable of properly sealing certain types of roof panels which are provided with through bores for passage of one or more component parts of the fastening device, and which is capable of properly securing such panels to a supporting structure in spite of vibratory stresses which tend to loosen the connection between a roof panel and the supporting structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fasten ing device which is capable of compensating for any movement of roof panels with reference to the supporting structure and/or to each other, and which may be readily assembled or taken apart to allow for rapid replacement of a defective panel.

A further object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive fastening device which may be manipulated by unskilled persons, which prevents penetration of moisture or wind into the space enclosed by the panels, which is capable of following the outlines of uneven surfaces on roof panels, which may be readily connected with or detached from conventional supporting structures, and which can withstand the effect of substantial variations in the temperature of surrounding air.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel sealing member which may be utilized in a fastening device of the above outlined characteristics.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide a fastening device wherein all exposed parts are capable of withstanding the effects of wind, moisture and other corrosive influences so that the fastening device is capable of long-lasting use and that its parts may be taken apart with little effort and by utilization of readily available tools.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fastening device which is constructed and assembled in such a way that it is capable of simultaneously holding and sealing two or more overlapping roof panels.

With the above objects in view, one feature of my invention resides in the provision of a device for fastening roof panels of the type having through bores to a supporting structure, particularly for fastening uneven (corrugated) roof panels consisting of wood, metal or plastic to roof sheathing, rafters, purlins or other elements of a supporting structure. The fastening device comprises an annular sealing member, preferably consisting of corrosion-resistant synthetic plastic material the inner (lower) side of which overlies the outer side of a roof panel so that it surrounds the through bore of the panel, and biasing means'including a first portion abutting against the outer (upper) side of the sealing member and a secend portion which is permanently or detachably secured to the first portion and which extends through the sealing member, through the bore of the panel, and is secured to the supporting structure in such a way that the first portion of the biasing means is pressed against the outer side of the sealing member whereby the inner side f this sealing member is in sealing engagement withthe outer side of the panel.

The biasing means may comprise a screw or a bolt whose head constitutes the first portion and whose stem constitutes the second portion of the biasing means. Alternatively, the first portion of the biasing means may comprise a nut and the second portion then comprises a threaded stem one end portion of which meshes with the nut and the other end portion of which may be deformed to resemble a U-shaped hook which is anchored in or otherwise secured to the supporting structure. The space between the supporting structure and the inner side of the sealing member may accommodate two or even more roof panels whose bores are in registry so that the second portion of the biasing means may extend therethrough. If the panels are uneven, it is advisable to construct the biasing means in such a way that the first portion thereof comprises a helical spring or another resilient element which is interposed between the nut or head and the outer side of the sealing member so that the spring may be compressed to retain the sealing member in proper sealing engagement with the roof panel even if the roof is exposed to wind which causes vibration of the supporting structure and/ or panels.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved fastening device itself, however, both as to its construction and the method of assembling the same, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawing the single illustration of which is a partial elevational and partial sectional view of a fully assembled fastening device which connects two overlapping roof panels to a rafter or to portion which comprises a threaded stem 7a having a v U-shaped end portion or hook 7 which is secured to the rafter R so that the nut may press the spring 10 against the upper side of an annular sealing member 5 whose underside is provided with a marginal collar 5a having its lower end face in sealing abutment with the upper side of the upper panel 1. The sealing member 5 preferably 1 consists of slightly elastic corrosion-resistant synthetic plastic material and is provided with a centrally located tubular extension 6 having radial ribs 6a which penetrate into the material of the upper panel 1 when the extension is driven home so that the extension is accommodated in the through bore 3 of the upper panel. This bore 3 registers with a similar bore 4 in the lower panel 1 so that the stem 7a may extend through the central opening 15 of the sealing member, through the bores 3, 4, and through a similar bore in the rafter R to make sure that it will stay in requisite position when the nut 9 is applied with sufficient force to subject the spring 10 to requisite compression. It will be noted that the lowermost convolution 10a of the spring 10 extends into an annular.

recess 11 provided in the upper side of the sealing memher 5, and this lowermost convolution 10a may be received in the recess by snap action to prevent accidental disconnection from the sealing member. The latter preferably comprises a resilient finger 16 which is bent upwardly and which extends into the groove between the threads 7]) of the stem 7 so that this stem is retained in the illustrated position even if the nut 9 is removed. The finger 16 is located slightly below the recess 11.

The sealing member is further provided with an annular groove 14 located close to its upper side and receiving a projection here shown as an annular bead 13 formed at the open lower end of a cup-shaped hood 12. The bead 13 is snapped in position and serves to shield the bores 3, 4 against entry of dirt, draft or moisture. The hood also protects the upper end portion of the stem 7a, the nut 9 and the spring so that these parts may consist of less expensive metallic material. As a rule, the material of the hood will be the same as that of the sealing member 5.

If the panels 1 and 2 are fiat, the spring 10 may be dispensed with and the underside of the nut 9 may be driven directly against the upper side of the sealing member 5 so that the underside of this sealing member (and more particularly the lower end face of the collar 5a) bears against the upper side of the panel 1 and seals the upper end of the bore 3 from the atmosphere. Such simplified fastening device is particularly advantageous when the sealing member 5 consists of resilient plastic material so that it performs the function of an elastic washer. Also, the biasing means including the nut 9, the stem 7a and the spring 10 may be replaced by a wood screw, particularly if the rafter R is made of wood, so that the head of the wood screw will be received in the recess 11 and that the stem of the wood screw will pass through the opening 15, through the bores 3, 4 and into the material of the rafter R or into an expansion sleeve in the rafter. The recess 11 is not too deep so that the head of the wood screw may be reached with a screwdriver.

In the illustrated embodiment, the panels 1 and 2 are assumed to be uneven, e.g., they may be corrugated so that, in order to provide a satisfactory retaining and sealing action, they must be held down with a force which will remain effective even if the roof vibrates in response to the action of winds or for another reason. In such instances, the biasing means comprises the spring 10 or an equivalent resilient element which is capable of subjecting the sealing member 5 to at least some pressure. The panels 1, 2 may consist of wood, metal or plastic.

When the operator desires to tighten the fastening device, all he has to do is to remove the hood 12 and to tighten the nut 9, with the help of a suitable tool, whereupon the bead 13 is snapped back into the groove 14 to conceal the biasing means. To replace a damaged roof panel, the operator removes the hood 12, the nut 9, the screw 10, the sealing member 5 and the damaged panel to thereupon reassemble the fastening device with a pair of satisfactory panels. It goes without saying that the fastening device of my invention is equally useful for securing a single panel or for securing stacks of three or more panels as long as the bores of such stacked panels are in registry to provide a path for the stem 7a.

A very important advantage of my fastening device is that it may be used with or without a spring, depending on the evenness of the panels, on the position of the roof, on the location of the building and on other considerations.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for fastening roof panels of the type having through bores to a supporting structure, comprising an annular sealing member having a through opening, a first side and a second side arranged to overlie the exposed side of a panel so as to surround a through bore therein; and biasing means comprising a nut adjacent to the first side of said sealing member, a resilient element interposed between said nut and the first side of said sealing member, and a threaded stem meshing with said nut and extending through and beyond the second side of said sealing member so that a portion thereof may pass through the bore of a panel and may be secured to a supporting structure to compress said resilient element between said nut and the first side of said sealing member whereby the second side of said sealing member is maintained in sealing engagement with the exposed side of the panel; and a cup-shaped hood member having an open end secured to said annular sealing member so that said hood surrounds said nut, said resilient element and a portion of said stem to prevent moisture from reaching said biasing means, said biasing means being out of engagement with and freely movable with respect to said hood member.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said stem comprises a hook-shaped end portion which is arranged to be secured to a supporting structure.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sealing member has an annular recess provided in said first side thereof around said opening and wherein said resilient element is a helical spring having an end portion received in said annular recess.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sealing member comprises a tubular extension which is arranged to extend into the bore of a panel.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4, wherein said extension is provided with at least one radially outwardly extending rib which penetrates into the material of a panel when said extension is driven into the bore of the panel.

6. A device for fastening uneven roof panels of the type having through bores to a supporting structure, comprising an annular sealing member having a first side and a second side arranged to overlie the outer side of the upper one of a plurality of overlapping panels whose bores are in registry with each other so that said sealing member surrounds the bore in the upper panel; and biasing means including a nut adjacent to the first side of said sealing member, a resilient element interposed between said nut and the first side of said sealing member, and a threaded stem meshing with said nut and having a portion arranged to extend through said sealing member, through the registering bores of overlapping panels and to be secured to a supporting structure so as to compress said resilient element between said nut and said sealing member whereby the second side of said sealing member is maintained in sealing engagement with the outer side of the upper panel; and a cup-shaped hood member having an open end secured to said annular sealing member so that said hood surrounds said nut, said resilient element, and a portion of said stem to prevent moisture from reaching said biasing means, said biasing means being out of engagement with and freely movable with respect to said hood member.

7. A device for fastening corrugated roof panels of the type having through bores to a supporting structure, comprising an annular sealing member having a first side, and a second side arranged to overlie the outer side of the upper one of a plurality of overlapping panels whose bores are in registry with each other so that said sealing member surrounds the bore in the upper panel, said sealing member consisting of corrosion-resistant synthetic plastic material and having an annular groove located intermediate said sides thereof; biasing means including a nut adjacent to the first side of said sealing member, a resilient element interposed between said nut and the first side of said sealing member, and a threaded stem meshing with said nut and having a portion arranged to extend through said sealing member, through the registering bores of overlapping panels and to be secured to a supporting structure so as to compress said resilient element between said nut and said sealing member whereby the second side of said sealing member is maintained in sealing engagement with the outer side of the upper panel; and a cup-shaped hood having an open end provided with an inwardly extending annular bead which is received in said groove by snap action so that said hood surrounds said nut, said resilient element, and a portion of said stem to prevent moisture from reaching said biasing means, said biasing means being out of engagement with and freely movable with respect to said hood.

8. A device as set forth in claim 7, wherein said sealing member comprises an annular collar extending beyond said second side thereof and having an end face which abuts against the outer side of the upper panel.

9. A device as set forth in claim 7, wherein said stem comprises a substantially U-shaped end portion which is arranged to be secured to a supporting structure.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,001,290 5/1935 Thomson 85- 1 2,604,194 7/1952 Hammitt et al. 52549 X 3,191,730 6/1965 Fischer 52-549 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,262,663 4/1961 France. 1,263,923 5/1961 France.

636,479 10/ 1936 Germany.

832,019 4/ 1960 Great Britain.

892,870 4/1962 Great Britain.

401,208 1/ 1943 Italy.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

2 M. O. WARNECKE, Assistant Examiner. 

7. A DEVICE FOR FASTENING CORRUGATED ROOF PANELS OF THE TYPE HAVING THROUGH BORES TO A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE, COMPRISING AN ANNULAR SEALING MEMBER HAVING A FIRST SIDE, AND A SECOND SIDE ARRANGED TO OVERLIE THE OUTER SIDE OF THE UPPER ONE OF A PLURALITY OF OVERLAPPING PANELS WHOSE BORES ARE IN REGISTRY WITH EACH OTHER SO THAT SAID SEALING MEMBER SURROUNDS THE BORE IN THE UPPER PANEL, SAID SEALING MEMBER CONSISTING OF CORROSION-RESISTANT SYNTHETIC PLASTIC MATERIAL AND HAVING AN ANNULAR GROOVE LOCATED INTERMEDIATE SAID SIDES THEREOF; BIASING MEANS INCLUDING A NUT ADJACENT TO THE FIRST SIDE OF SAID SEALING MEMBER, A RESILIENT ELEMENT INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID NUT AND THE FIRST SIDE OF SAID SEALING MEMBER, AND A THREADED STEM MESHING WITH SAID NUT AND HAVING A PORTION ARRANGED TO EXTEND THROUGH SAID SEALING MEMBER, THROUGH THE REGISTERING BORES OF OVERLAPPING PANELS AND TO BE SECURED TO A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE SO AS TO COMPRESS SAID RESILIENT ELEMENT BETWEEN SAID NUT AND SAID SEALING MEMBER WHEREBY THE SECOND SIDE OF SAID SEALING MEMBER IS MAINTAINED IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OUTER SIDE OF THE UPPER PANEL; AND A CUP-SHAPED HOOD HAVING AN OPEN END PROVIDED WITH AN INWARDLY EXTENDING ANNULAR BEAD WHICH IS RECEIVED IN SAID GROOVE BY SNAP ACTION SO THAT SAID HOOD SURROUNDS SAID NUT, SAID RESILIENT ELEMENT, AND A PORTION OF SAID STEM TO PREVENT MOISTURE FROM REACHING SAID BIASING MEANS, SAID BIASING MEANS BEING OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH AND FREELY MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID HOOD. 